I’m slowly making my way through the book (English translated title), “I Want to Live Like a Sloth” by Jin Minyoung. I’ve read another book by her that I absolutely adored, and this one is equally loved by me. The author is a minimalist and essayist, and each chapter in both of her books are nugget-sized, making them easily digestible.

Two chapters in particular stood out to me as immediately applicable to my own life. The first one is about not needing to organize and store anything because there’s nothing to organize and store. Taken to the extreme, owning very little means you definitely don’t need things like furniture or bins to organize your things. I’m reminded of George Carlin’s piece on stuff, especially the bit when he says, “That’s the whole meaning of life isn’t it? Trying to find a place for your stuff.” I would add buying more stuff to that as well, which is why there’s always a cycle of minimalism or organizing books and shows about helping people sort out their stuff.

Jin Minyoung eschews all of that in favor of not owning things that require storage. She doesn’t even have a toothbrush holder (which made me consider if I need *my* toothbrush holder).

In my bedroom, across from my desk, is my closet. In that closet are stacks of sterilite drawers with things neatly organized in them. Even before I read Jin Minyoung’s chapter on not being a master of organization, the drawers bothered me. Reading the chapter fueled me to take another peek in the drawers.

I’m not a minimalist, but I do value efficiency and eliminating friction where possible. For example, I buy the same inner wear and socks, and I stopped folding them. I stopped making my bed one way, favoring a different way that cuts down on the time it takes to make the bed. (I just fold the blanket.) I find that washing clothes and bedding once a week is the perfect sweet spot between not having to wash too many clothes and running out of inner essentials.

Organizing bins and their myriad of cousins are certainly nice to have, but there is truth that you wouldn’t need them if you didn’t have so much stuff. There is truth that these bins and storage containers are still objects themselves.

When you have a lot of things, you have to use up time figuring out the best way to organize them (unless you like the cluttered, messy look). You might also spend money on various containers that may or may not work or on books that may or may not help you tidy up. You can save a lot of money if you just forgo it all. It’s tough. I know, and that leads me to her next point.

On the topic of clothes, she says something that we all know by now: the new piece of clothing in our life feels good right now, but overtime, it was lose its newness and we will want more clothes. Again, I look toward my closet full of clothes although I don’t have too many. I really like thrifting for dresses, which makes the accumulation of clothes very dangerous. The last time I thrifted, I had many gorgeous dresses, all which I wear now, but they have lost their newness. I sometimes wonder if it’s time for some more to “refresh” my wardrobe.

Instead, Jin Minyoung suggests focusing on things that actually matter and things that give you an actual lasting freshness that are good for you. For the author, this is taking care of her body and mind through fitness, proper skincare, and good mental health. Rather than continuing to adorn yourself in new clothing, focus on the things that don’t have to cost extra money and are actually good for you. Take care of the clothes you do have. Worth does not come from new clothes but from other things.

This resonated with me. The impression we give ourselves and that others have about us aren’t about always having new clothes. If we are worried about how we appear to others, it’s better that we focus on things like cleanliness and behavior. If we’re worried self-conscious about our appearance, we should look toward improving things that affect the quality of our lives such as the skills we have, instead of constantly buying new clothes or other things.

Ultimately, I know I don’t *need* new clothes. I have enough. Breaking the “need new” habit is tough, but perhaps if I replace that urge with something better, I can break it. I can take care of what I have, and if I want to refresh something, let it be something that doesn’t require money (or a lot of it), like refreshing my blog or some skill. Let it be that I go for daily walks and eat properly to refresh my mind and body. I can stop by the library to find a new book. If I want to refresh my wardrobe, I can wear my clothes in new ways or experiment with a new hairstyle.

There’s novelty in using what you have. It’s easy to buy something new, but the far more enriching path is to appreciate the things you already own and to take care of and respect yourself. The most rewarding route may not be the easiest, but maybe it’s the most satisfying.